A federal high court in Abuja has ordered Tukur Buratai, chief
of army staff, to produce for prosecution, the army officers who allegedly
facilitated the escape of Hamisu Bala, a suspected kidnap kingpin better known
as Wadume.
Binta Nyako, a judge, gave the order following an
application filed by the police in the case involving the attack on some of
their men on August 6, 2019 in Taraba state.
The police charged Wadume with 16 counts of terrorism,
murder and kidnapping after officers from the intelligence response team of the
inspector-general of police had him over his “involvement in kidnappings”.
However, some soldiers attached to battalion 93, Takum, led
by Tijani Balarabe, an army captain, were said to have set Wadume free and
subsequently killed some of the officers who arrested him.
Three policemen and two civilians were killed during the
incident, while five other police officers were injured.
But Simon Lough, prosecution counsel, told the court that
the Nigerian Army had refused to release the suspected officers for prosecution
despite a request by the police who is prosecuting them.
While urging the court to grant the order for their release,
the police counsel said section 87 and 159 of Administration of Criminal Justice
Act ( ACJA), 2015, gives the court
powers to compel any suspect who is standing trial to appear in court.
He asked that the 2nd – 11th defendants be released to face
trial.
Wadume and some other suspects were brought to court for
arraignment. However, the defendants could not take their plea due to the
absence of the officers whose names are joined in the charge sheet.
Apart from Tijjani Balarabe, other officers are David
Isaiah, a staff sergeant; Ibrahim Mohammed, a sergeant; Bartholomew Obanye, a
corporal; Mohammed Nura, a private; Okorozie Gideon, a lance corporal; Markus
Michael and Nvenaweimoeimi Akpagra, both lance corporals; Abdullahi Adamu, a
staff sergeant and Ebele Emmanuel, a staff sergeant.
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